Doris, Tippi, and the White Dress

In the 1959 comedy “Pillow Talk” from Universal, Doris Day makes quite an impression in this dress designed by Jean Louis. From the accompanying photo caption:

SMART — Doris Day poses for the cameraman in one of the 24 ultra smart costumes created by noted fashion designer, Jean Louis, especially for her role of a successful interior decorator in her new picture, “Pillow Talk.” This spicy Universal-International-Arwin comedy was filmed in color and CinemaScope with Rock Hudson, Miss Day, Tony Randall and Thelma Ritter in the starring roles.



Doris is elegance personified in this dazzling creation of white, which her character wears for an elegant party, given by one of her clients. Besides looking good, the outfit had to be able to move, as in the next scene, Doris dances the rhumba with Nick Adams.

Nick plays the son of Doris’ client, a horny fraternity boy who is drunk off his rocker and has only one goal for the evening: get Doris in bed. Good luck!



Five years later, for Alfred Hitchcock’s “Marnie,” another film shot at Universal, Tippi Hedren wore an equally stunning ensemble designed by Edith Head. I would hazard a guess that the set department used the same staircase for both movies.



There is even less skin showing with this outfit, but the way it hugs every curve makes it just as sexy. Hedren’s character is a frigid kleptomaniac who uses her charms (albeit very covered) to dazzle her employer(s) while she raids their vaults. Head designed the outfit perfectly to suit the character.



Head’s costume sketch is seen below, showing that it has the same neckline as Jean Louis’, until you see the back. Tippi’s is all about coverage…



Doris’ plunges down. Waaaaaay down.



The cut of Doris’ dress was much more important for movement, as the camera cuts in close to her hips which move suggestively to the music, necessary to catch the attention of Rock Hudson’s character.



Doris’ dress was so memorable that Mattel released a set of Barbie dolls in 2011 that immortalized the scene in vinyl:



Which dress do you prefer?

See more photos at my main website.

Daveland Blog Anniversary: 15 Serendipitous Years

It’s hard to believe that fifteen years have gone by since I wrote my first blog post, but yes…that’s the case. Like all things, the blog has changed over the years, going from seven days a week to M-F (or less if I decide it’s time to disconnect).  It’s called Daveland after all, so I have allowed the blog to reflect the multitude of interests I have held through the years, rather than strictly Disneyland content. Being a Gemini who truly believes in serendipity, I have found that when I allow the Universe to take control, amazing experiences can happen. As a result, I plan to put out a book within the next year, featuring vintage images from my personal collection alongside the photos I have shot myself. There’s been a lot of travel, wall climbing, and exploration of hidden places going on the last 40 years or so and it’s time for me to celebrate it!

I have the book segmented into chapters about Disneyland, James Dean in Indiana…

and in Hollywood:

My work as a tour guide for the restoration of the West Baden Springs Hotel in Indiana:

I will probably work in my love for Frank Lloyd Wright’s architecture (just not sure how, yet).

and some of the cool peeps I have gotten to know along the way, like Tippi Hedren:

The Chateau will take up a few pages I am sure, as it is my home away from home.

The book wouldn’t be complete without my obsession for Shirley:

And my faithful companion, Willis, who brings me joy every day.

Stay tuned for updates. See more photos at my main website.

Thursday with Tippi

A few recently acquired shots of Tippi Hedren from the Alfred Hitchcock psychological thriller, “Marnie” (1964). Running close to my other obsessions The Chateau Marmont, Disneyland, and Shirley Temple, this movie has fascinated me since the first of many times I have watched it. The first image shows the pivotal scene when Marnie (Tippi) begins to trust Mark (Sean Connery), the man who had recently blackmailed her into marriage. Since he was attempting to cure and rehabilitate her from her frigidity and kleptomania, that makes it all ok! Connery does not look quite as comfortable as Tippi does with the horse! From the film’s big finish, Tippi is shown recalling the sordid past events of her childhood that made her the way she is.

Hitch delivered a Hollywood ending that satisfied the Studio, but added just enough ambiguity that one wonders whether the leads truly ended up in a state of bliss.

See more Tippi Hedren photos at my main website.

Tippi Tuesday

This Tippi Hedren photo did double duty. With a date stamp of February 14, 1964, the first publicity blurb on the back reads:

‘Tippi’ Hedren finds a bouquet of flowers in her dressing room on the opening day of shooting her current film being directed by Alfred Hitchcock.

Considering that filming of “Marnie” began in November 1963, the date stamp is most likely for the alternate blurb:

TIPPI WINS HER WINGS

Remember blonde and shapely TIPPI HEDREN, who scored such a personal triumph in the Alfred Hitchcock thriller “The Birds”? Well, she has wings of her own now, awarded by aces of the United States air forces serving in Germany. These lads, who daily run the gauntlet of “incidents” near the Berlin corridor are “inspired” by the beauty of TIPPI HEDREN, claims their commanding officer, who declares that she has been voted the lads’ pin-up and mascot. No wonder the know-alls are prophesying that her next film will feature airmen.



The know-alls didn’t know much; her next film after “Marnie” was Charlie Chaplin’s “A Countess from Hong Kong” in 1967 which took place on a cruise ship.

See more Tippi Hedren photos at my main website.

Golden Horseshoe Mystery Solved

As fate would have it, 7 years after I posted about the painting in the Golden Horseshoe Saloon, I get an answer about who painted it...from the son of the artist! Amazing how the internet (sometimes) works!

"Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Mark Schaeffing. The other day I was surfing the internet searching Disneyland's Golden Horseshoe saloon painting and I happened to stumble upon your post, dated August 3, 2011 titled April 1977, pt 7, I have the answer to who did the painting. It was my father, James Schaeffing. He was employed at Disney Studios during the 60's as an artist and worked on many Disney movies. Walt commissioned my father to do the painting."

When Walt saw the finished painting, he said, “Jim, this is a great painting but could you cover the top a little bit?” This finally solves my question as to whether the gauzy material draped over the woman's breasts was original or not.



Here's the picture of the painting and Jim, taken by Mark's brother-in-law.



Mark was also gracious enough to share a scene study illustration that his dad did for the opening scene of "Mary Poppins" showing her flying and holding her umbrella. Jim was also the one who painted the chalk scenes that Bert, Mary, and the children jump into for the Jolly Holiday sequence.



Jim also did paintings of one of my favorites, Tippi Hedren:







Many thanks to Mark for reaching out to me and sharing all of this amazing material!

See more Disneyland Golden Horseshoe photos at my main website.

The Birds: Behind-The-Scenes

Today's image shows a rare behind-the-scenes shot from the 1963 Alfred Hitchcock movie, "The Birds." Tippi Hedren is seen in the prop phone booth, getting ready to shoot one of the more harrowing scenes from the film. In the detailed view, you can see that yes, they really were throwing "live" birds at Tippi. Hollywood is not always so glamorous!



More Tippi Hedren photos at my main website.

Happy Belated Birthday, Tippi!

In honor of Tippi Hedren's recent 86th birthday (and she still looks fabulous!), here is a vintage shot from 1964 of her with Rock Hudson. The accompanying publicity blurb says:

Tippi Hedren, newly elected Mayor of Universal City, receives the gavel of office from ex-Mayor Rock Hudson. Miss Hedren, currently starring with Sean Connery in Alfred Hitchcock's "Marnie," will preside over an incorporated area of 410 acres — larger than the entire principality of Princess Grace's Monaco. Her "constituents" total more than 4500 Universal City employees.

The comment about Monaco might have been a little jab from Hitch himself, who was extremely disappointed that Grace Kelly turned down the role of "Marnie" at the last minute.

More Tippi Hedren photos at my main website.

Marnie 50th Anniversary

Today quietly marks the 50th anniversary of one of my favorite (albeit somewhat strange and twisted) films, Alfred Hitchcock's “Marnie.” Once it was done, Universal seemed to know that they had a box office turkey on their hands, and did their best to give it a broad appeal. This ad truly reeks of desperation.



The production got off to a bad start when its leading lady, Grace Kelly, decided to back out.



Her replacement, Tippi Hedren, required a lot of one-on-one coaching with Hitch himself to make sure she didn't flop in the very complex role that she was playing. Typically, Hitch allowed his actors to figure it out on their own.



Troubled or not, it still offers a lot to those who admire the work of one of the greatest auteurs of film, Alfred Hitchcock.



See more “Marnie” photos on my main website.

Hitchcock, A Black Wig, and Home Haircare

In Hitchcock's controversial 1964 film "Marnie," it takes quite awhile before his leading lady's (Tippi Hedren) face is revealed. Hitch didn't pick up the moniker "The Master of Suspense" for nothing!

The first shot of the movie shows Tippi from the rear, waiting for her train (filmed at San Jose's Diridon Train Station). Her bright yellow bag and hideous black wig stand out like a sore thumb.

Our next view of her shows her in a less full black wig (wearing the same suit from the previous shot), walking down the hallway of her hotel, accompanied by a bellman who is loaded down with the loot from what was presumably a very successful day of shopping. Black Friday perhaps?



The little bonus for this scene is that it happens to be the one that Hitchcock chose for his cameo appearance. He looks so devilishly sheepish as he peers from his hotel room.



For the movie's publicity still that is meant to capture this scene, Tippi's direction down the hallway is reversed, allowing the audience to see her from the front.



Not only that, but she now has an entourage of two more assisting the bellman with the packages and luggage. Was this how the scene was originally intended or just something for the sake of the still? Also interesting to note that there is a fedora sticking out of the room that Hitchcock was exiting from in the movie. Obviously not Hitchcock's, but supposedly the hat was to represent the appearance of an extra. As you can tell, I just love these details.



While we're covering it, I have a question that has always bothered me about this film. Being a nitpicker at times, it has always seemed a little strange that Marnie is able to wash the black dye out of her hair...



and seconds later, becomes a perfect blonde. Is this really how it works when you do a home dye job? Either that or Marnie was a very talented hair colorist on the side.



See more "Marnie" photos on my Alfred Hitchcock page.

The Birds and Sally Spectra

One of the most famous scenes in Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds" is the one that takes place in the Tides Restaurant. While trapped inside, the patrons attempt to make sense of the avian attacks, most notably Mrs. Bundy, played by Ethel Griffies. Also notable in this photo is the bespeckled waitress, played by an uncredited Darlene Conley.



Best known to soap opera fans as flaming redheaded fashion designer Sally Spectra in "The Bold and the Beautiful," Conley's larger than life portrayal made her a fan favorite. This is why watching the scene from "The Birds" is so funny, as her character seems so nerdy and shy. Amazing what a pair of thick glasses can do for you!



Conley passed away in 2007, but her tribute in wax can still be seen at Madame Tussaud's in Las Vegas.



See more "The Birds" photos on my Tippi Hedren web page.

JFK and Hitchcock's "Marnie": 1 Degree of Separation

It was 50 years ago today that one of my favorite movies, Alfred Hitchcock's sex mystery "Marnie," was getting ready to go before the cameras. Assistant Director James Brown was in Unionville, Pennsylvania preparing to shoot the hunt sequence. Meanwhile, in Dallas, Texas, the world was changed forever as President John F. Kennedy was brutally assassinated.



Many of the extras involved in the hunt sequence were actually close friends of the Kennedys, making the loss even greater for them.



Filming was delayed for two weeks as the crew and the rest of the country mourned the loss of not only a President, but a vision of hope for the nation.



I found myself re-examining this movie again when Tony Lee Moral released an updated version of his well-written and thoroughly researched book, "Hitchcock and the Making of Marnie." Even without its faulty start due to the Presidential assassination, "Marnie" has the reputation of being one of the most controversial productions for the master of suspense.



The recent BBC/HBO drama "The Girl" dredged up (and questionably "enhanced") some of the aspersions that Hollywood biographer Donald Spoto had previously heaped upon Hitchcock.

Somehow, today seems like a fitting day for the anniversary of our country's loss of its Camelot; I for one am glad it's Friday, as this week has been absolutely gray.

See more "Marnie" photos on my Alfred Hitchcock page.